A Love So Deep: Chapter 21 (Patreon)

Oh God!  She was angry with me!  I had fucked something up!  Fuck me, why did I have to be like this?

On instinct I drop to my knees in front of her, getting right down on my hands to grovel low, as I mutter a stream of vague incoherent apologies and plead for mercy.  I was nearly as upset for disappointing her trust in me as I was scared for my life.  Despite doing it so often it always killed me inside to let someone who showed even a modicum of faith in me down.  When I dare to peek up at her I find that same hard neutral gaze still staring down at me.

“I’m sorry.”  I whisper, speaking in a tongue she could not comprehend and not even knowing what I was apologizing for.  “I’m so sorry.”

After a long pause she commands.  “Rise.”

I get back up to my feet though keep my arms tight to my chest and my head hung in contrition.

Long powerful red tentacles slither and around my feet as the Mistress slowly approaches me.  From the edge of my vision I see her towering over me but my eyes remain locked straight ahead, down into the lovely complex patterns of her crimson legs.

“I knew you were going to be trouble.”  She says again, her words a hint softer about the edges this time.  “Ellerie has taken kindly to you.  I knew that would happen.  But so has Stheera and Kelrak.  They seem to think you are some sort of damsel swept here by a cruel tide.”  One of her tentacles hook around my heels without actually grabbing them.  “You’ve only been here a day and already you’ve charmed half of them.  This does not make my life easier.”

Her words pulled me in two directions.  On the one hand I was touched to hear about Ellerie, Stheera, and Kelrak going to bat for me.  On the other I knew that this place was no democracy, there was only one ruler here and my presence was contingent on me being as little of a nuisance to her as possible.  I didn’t know how to feel.  I thought I might literally burst from rising anxiety as I force myself to stand still and listen.

Reaching down Mistress tugs my hem down to flatten the material then pulls out at the shoulders of the garment to smooth the wrinkles across my chest.  “It won’t save you.”  Her words are blunt though carry no cruelty in their tone.  “Charm and good behavior might win you friends but it cannot save you.  Nothing about this is personal.  You are trouble human, more than you know, and I will be rid of you when the time comes.”

She seemed to be waiting for an answer so I nod my understanding.

“Ellerie wants to teach you to speak.”  She says, getting to the point of this meeting.  “If such a thing is even possible, if you are able to communicate more freely, I am asking you to be courteous and kind to Ellerie.  Do not share fears she cannot assuage.  Do not burden her with pain that isn’t hers to bear.  Do not trouble her with problems she cannot solve.  She will be your best friend if you let her.”  Her voice softens.  “Please, don’t hurt her.”

My gaze creeps upward until I am looking at Nanea’s regal face to see a depth and tenderness in those unique yellow eyes of hers.

“She is her own woman but she is still young.”   She says.  “You understand?”

I nod.

She tilts her head slightly and brushes my cheek with back of her fingers.  “You aren’t so much older yourself, are you?  How old are you human?”

In the same way I did with Ellerie I indicate my twenty five years with my hands.

“Hmm, still just a baby in the ways of the world.”  She smooths my hair beneath her huge hand with a surprising gentleness.  “I remember being your age.  Everything seemed so important.  Every success a triumph and every failure a disaster.  You are still a jagged young soul tumbling about on every stray current, time has not yet smoothed your edges.”  She pulls her hand away as her voice and expression hardens once more.  “But you will not have that opportunity, will you?”

I shake my head.

“Right.”  She says.  “Haali will be here to see you tomorrow.  I do not know what he has planned for you but, mages being what they are, I imagine some of it will not be pleasant.  This time you have now is owed to him.  He spared your life.  Such an act is important down here.  He and I have an agreement.  Such a thing is important to me.  Do humans honor such things as these?”

I hesitantly nod.

“Good.”  She says.  “If you feel he is unnecessarily cruel you will come and speak to me about it.  To Ellerie and Stheera you say nothing or you say that everything is fine, that Haali is treating you well, any problems you bring to me.  Understand?”

I nod then bow my head.  I ought to have been worried for myself on hearing this, it almost sounded like Haali might torture me, but it was the way in which Mistress Nwyne spoke with such confidence on me seeing Stheera again that grabbed my attention.  Her firm confidence gave me comfort that I could not muster within myself.

“Very good.”  She says.  “He is not a vicious man by nature.  It may not be so bad.  We will see you kept well between his visits but we will not interfere in Haali’s business with you unless it affects our business.”

I nod again.  “I understand.”

“You are a brave young woman.”  She studies me a moment.  “Stheera spoke very highly of you.  Your courage and openness touched her deeply.  You should be honored.  There are few people she speaks of in this way.  She very much enjoyed your night together.”

I flash a timid smile.

“It appears you enjoyed it as well.”

I nod brightly.

“Good.”  She says.  “You can expect Ellerie to start pestering you about sex soon.  You’ll have to be firm with her if you don’t want it.  I know the others are curious about you as well, despite what they said last night.”

“Oh!”

“I cannot deny my own curiosity.”  She says, her eyes scanning up and down my body.  “Though not because you are human.  Stheera says that you are in a fragile state but that you are a fine lover.  She tells me that you are very gentle, very intimate, very responsive, and that you could be coaxed into taking lead but that you are by nature a submissive.”  Mistress leans closer.  “Is this true?”

A blush warms my cheeks.  Stheera had said all of that?  Kiss and tell seemed to be the norm down here.

“Is something the matter?”

I shake my head no.

“So is it true?”  She asks as a tentacle begins to creep up the back of my bare calf eliciting a gasp from me.  “Are you a natural submissive?”

I didn’t know how to respond.  Nobody in such a position of authority had ever asked me such a private and personal question so directly before.  Also, I didn’t honestly know the answer.  I always liked my partners to take control but was that what she was asking?  Did that count as being a ‘natural’ submissive?  My eyes widen and I stiffen, as if frozen solid, as I feel the tentacle at my calf curl all the way around my ankle as another subtly attaches a sucker onto my opposite foot and yet another lightly glides its tapered tip down my spine.  Time stands still.  Unbidden, wildly erotic images flash through my mind.  Scenes of binding and squeezing and stroking and penetrating tentacles borrowed from hentai videos I’d seen over the years but now with me as the helpless maiden in the center of it all.

“I guess not.”  She says when I don’t answer.  “A shame.  I love her dearly but Ellerie has a bratty streak that I wouldn’t dare tame out of her.  And Kelrak is a true submissive but so rarely in a sexual mood.  It’s been years since…ah well.”  The tentacles at my legs both pull away at once and those at my back smooths my dress before pulling back as well.

“…wait…”  I hear myself mutter.

“Just remember what I asked of you.”  She says as she backs away from me and returns to her desk.  “Do not upset my dear Ellerie.  Your eventual parting will hurt her enough without you making it worse.  Do not make her, or I, regret teaching you to speak.”  With a casual wave of her hand she dismisses me.  “You may go now.”

Chapter 22